Tools are important to every professional and amateur handyman. Unfortunately, tools break and get lost, and sometimes you’re in urgent need of a tool that you don’t have at hand for one reason or another.
Here at Fantastic Handyman, we’ve made a series of helpful articles about what you can use if you don’t happen to have a certain tool available:
Check also:
What to Use When You Don’t Have a Hammer
What to Use if You Don’t Have a Screwdriver
What to Use if You Don’t Have a Wrench
We are continuing the series with another essential tool every handyman should have in their tool box.
Table of Contents
What Can You Use if You Don’t Have a Drill
The main function of a drill is to make holes for bolts in hard surfaces. The other function is to ease the stress of screwing bolts instead of using a manual screwdriver. It does come in handy when you have to screw a multitude of bolts.
So with this said, you can easily replace the second function by using a common screwdriver, as tedious as it can be. For drilling a hole, however, you need something different.
Method #1: For drilling holes into plastic
- Heat a sharp piece of copper;
- Place over the plastic surface, where you wish to drill a hole;
- Let it melt the plastic into the shape of a hole.
The trick is to have the ideal size copper piece, but you can easily find it in your local hardware store.
Method #2: Make your own bow drill
- Use two wooden sticks – tie a strong piece of string on both ends of one to serve as a bow, and the other should have a sharp end on one side and a handle on the other.
- Scrape out a small hole in the wood, where you wish to drill your hole.
- Place the pointy end of your second stick there and apply pressure.
- Wrap the string (bow) around the drill bit.
- Drill into the wood by pushing on the handhold and moving the bow.
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Method #3: Brace and bit
If you happen to own a tool called a brace, and if you’re in need of drilling larger holes, this is your solution. Simply apply pressure at the top of the brace and rotate the u-shaped bit.
Method #4: Self-drilling screws
You can save yourself a lot of trouble if you simply get your hands on self-drilling screws. Look in your local hardware store and just use a normal screwdriver.
These are the four most commonly used replacements of your drill tool. More handy tips on tool replacements are coming up, so standby.
Picture source: sergey0506/shutterstock.com
Nice Hack Life Tips.
In my opinion, use your creativity when you have limited resources.
You are absolutely right, Christian.
Great article. It is good to remind us to use ingenuity to solve problems, like heating a pc of copper to drill a hole in plastic.
As a home owner always wanting to change things, I cannot imagine not having an inexpensive 6-18volt battery powered drill. As a professional, having a high quality battery powered drill than can stand up to rough duty is important. But a typical homeowner can have a lesser tool, like a 6volt or 12 volt. Some even come in a convenient little bag for storage.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Eric!
Eric Crown – some people don’t have the luxury to quickly run out to buy a tool when one breaks. So this is great info to have in an emergency.
Great blog! you might wanna add this too without a power drill: You can find a nail. Locate a nail that is smaller than your screw. Puncture your wall. Drive the nail into the wall far enough to make a hole. Remove the nail. Remove the nail and insert the screw.
Trying to drill drain holes 1″ in the basement of new whiskey barrel planters. The wood is hardwood. Bought a 1″ metal bit and a pilot bit.
Finally got one hole drilled. But, the core is now stuck inside the 1″ bit. Removed the pilot bit. Any suggestions.
Thanks, Sue